Director Rajiv Menon reflects on AR Rahman’s journey to Islam and family pressures: 'It was music that helped him...'

Composer AR Rahman, originally named Dilip Kumar, was born in Chennai.

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman and director-cinematographer Rajiv Menon have been close friends for years. Recalling their early collaborations, Rajiv shared that he worked with a young AR Rahman, then known as Dileep Kumar, on advertisements before his conversion to Islam.

Composer AR Rahman, originally named Dilip Kumar, was born in Chennai. Following the passing of his musician father, Shekhar, he and his family embraced Islam. In the interview, Rajiv shared his experience of witnessing Rahman’s spiritual journey, how his family pressure, and recalled serving as a translator when fakirs from Gulbarga visited Rahman’s home for the conversion ceremony.

In a recent conversation with O2 India, Rajiv reflected on Rahman’s journey of embracing Islam, sharing that he had witnessed the composer’s gradual transition towards faith. He mentioned that when fakirs from Gulbarga visited Rahman’s home to guide the family’s conversion, he stepped in as a translator since they did not speak Hindi.

"I have seen Rahman deal with immense pressure from within the family, especially regarding his sisters' marriages. It was music that helped him brave the storm,” he further said talking about the pressure faced by AR Rahman during the conversion.

Rajiv revealed that during challenging times, music became Rahman’s refuge, offering him solace and strengthening his connection to faith. His exploration of Sufism deepened his appreciation for Hindustani music and Qawwalis, enriching his compositions with greater emotional depth.

Rajiv further stated, "This (conversion) allowed him to learn about different rhythm structures, middle-eastern minor scales, the clapping and singing together, chorus, etc... Qawwali has that energy, right? Where you sing together and feel the power of god. Qawwalis played a very big role in his musical compositions. The knowledge of Hindustani music and qawwali ensured his music went national."

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His deep understanding of various traditions allowed him to craft innovative and distinctive sounds. By intertwining music with spirituality, Rahman brought a unique essence to Indian cinema, distinguishing his work from others and earning him global recognition.

Recently, AR Rahman made headlines after being hospitalized due to dehydration. Initially, reports suggested he was experiencing chest pain, but his family and doctors later clarified that he was showing symptoms of dehydration and had visited the hospital for a routine check-up.